The present invention is directed to grills, and more specifically to outdoor grills that utilize charcoal.
Camping is a popular recreational activity enjoyed by many. Some people camp so that they may enjoy the outdoors, and others use camping as an inexpensive alternative to staying in hotels.
Although many campers enjoy being in the outdoors, often campers like to enjoy the luxuries of home while camping. For example, many campers bring lounge chairs or hammocks, portable air mattresses or cots, and similar items to make a camping experience more comfortable.
One thing that most campers enjoy while camping is sitting around a fire. People often also enjoy fires in their back yards, and utilize outdoor fireplaces for this purpose. The outdoor fireplaces usually raise a fire off the ground, contain the fire to avoid fire hazards, and restrict the mess of the fire to a confined space. Because users become used to the convenience of the outdoor fireplaces, they often may want to take them for camping or other away-from-home outdoor activities. However, many of the outdoor fireplaces are bulky, large, and have limited portability, so that many campers find them difficult to bring to a camping site.
Another activity that campers often enjoy is cooking on an open fire. Typically, at home, campers will use a grill for this purpose. However, many conventional grills do not fold down to a convenient size, so their portability and use for camping is limited.
The present invention provides a single unit that is convertible between a grill and an outdoor fireplace. To this end, the convertible grill and fireplace includes a single firebox and lid, both of which may be used in both a grill configuration and a fireplace configuration. The convertible grill and fireplace may be used in a home environment, such as on a patio. In addition, the convertible grill and fireplace may be easily and compactly stored so it may be transported to and used at a remote location, such as a campsite.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a detachable and foldable screen assembly is used in the fireplace configuration. The screen assembly fits between the firebox and the lid, and includes a series of panels that may be folded together to form a compact unit. To this end, the successive panels of the screen assembly are shorter in length so that they may be folded into one another. This feature permits the screens to be folded into a compact configuration, even if the screen assembly and the convertible grill and fireplace have a circular cross-section.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the convertible grill and fireplace includes legs that extend and retract. In this manner, the legs may be extended for the grilling configuration so that a grill surface is positioned at a comfortable level for a user. In addition, the legs may be retracted for the fireplace configuration so that a fire is easily accessible for adding firewood and so that the fire is at a comfortable level for users to enjoy the fireplace.
Other advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: